The present invention is directed to a method and system for testing the acoustical performance of a communication system and, more particularly, to a method and system that allows a user to obtain audio test results at a remote location.
One of the problems of testing communication devices, such as cellular phones, and landline phones, is how to test the acoustics in a realistic environment. Many systems that are tested in a controlled environment with controlled conditions may not perform the same once placed in use. A device that operated well during laboratory testing may be unacceptable once exposed to a realistic environment. Thus, it is important for the device to be tested in the same environment as it will be used by a customer, and on a live system, to ensure the device is working properly and the sound quality is acceptable.
One method for testing the acoustics of the system is through the use of a static recording and playback device. The device is similar to an answering machine and allows a technician to call a number from the field and have known audio played through the test unit. The technician records the resulting audio in the field for later analysis. One problem with this approach is that the technician cannot obtain test results while out in the field. To secure results, the technician must return to the lab in order to check the audio test results. If the results are inadequate, the technician must return to the field to make appropriate adjustments and verify the new results with a new test. Obviously, this becomes especially burdensome when the technician cannot readily return to the lab to analyze the audio results.
Another drawback to the conventional testing approach is the variability of the communication link between the field unit and processing site. The communications may be routed through a central office and public switched telephone network. As such, different analog switches may be used to route calls by the central office each time a call is made, adding unknown and inconsistent noise variations to the call. These variations cannot be accounted for during the testing of the audio levels and result in inaccurate or inconsistent test results.
Thus there remains a need for a means to test equipment within a communication system from a remote location and obtain the test results while at the remote location.
The present invention is directed to a system for testing the acoustical performance of a cellular communication system. The system allows a technician in the field to perform acoustical testing on the various components of the communication system, and to receive the results of the testing while remaining in the field. This system also allows the technician to make any necessary alterations while in the field without returning to a home base to retrieve test results.
The system includes a field unit such as a cellular phone that can both send and receive signals to and from a base station. A fixed station, such as a testing computer, is connected to the base station with digital communication lines.
According to the present invention, a known audio signal is sent from the field unit to the testing computer for testing. The signal is sent from the field unit, to the base station, and then routed via a network to the testing computer. Tests are performed on the received signal at the testing computer and compared to the known signal sent from the field unit to determine any signal loss or distortion. The results calculated at the testing computer are then transmitted to the field unit either directly through an audio link, short message service, or indirectly through an e-mail server so that the results are available to the technician in the field. The technician can then review the results and make the necessary corrections without returning from the field to view the test results.
Another testing method is for the technician from the mobile terminal in the field to contact the testing computer and receive an audio message played back by the testing unit. The testing computer has stored audio tracks that are selected and transmitted through the base station to the field unit. Again because the audio parameters of the signal were known at the testing computer, the results received at the field unit can be compared and any necessary changes made.